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Support Service Transformation Task Force criteria finalized

Support Service Transformation Task Force Final Criteria and Weightings

Importance to the University of Saskatchewan (26%):This criterion will focus on the overall importance of the support service to the success of the institution.

Internal demand (17%):
This criterion will focus on factors related to the level of internal (inside the institution) need for the support service.

External demand (10%):This criterion will focus on factors related to the level of external (outside of the institution) need for the support service, as well as external mandates influencing the support service’s efforts.

Quality (16%):This criterion will focus on the quality of the support service.

Cost effectiveness (21%):This criterion will focus on the resources consumed and the revenues generated by the support service relative to its output.

Opportunity analysis (10%):This criterion allows the support service to describe the additional contributions it could make with specified additional resources.

The Support Service Transformation Task Force approved the above final criteria and weightings at its May 8, 2013 meeting. All feedback received via the blog was reviewed by the task force and some changes were made to the final criteria and their descriptors. The Support Service Transformation Task Force thanks all those that took the time to post comments and questions to the blog and provides the following responses to particular comments and questions. The criteria represent the highest level of analysis that will be undertaken. A guide is being developed to assist those tasked with completing support service assessment templates.

The criteria represent the highest level of analysis that will be undertaken. A guide is being developed to assist those tasked with completing support service assessment templates.

The criteria descriptors are deliberately broad and open-ended in order to allow flexibility in interpretation of the questions in the support service assessment template.

All support services will be scored out of 100% using the above weightings. There will be a few exceptional cases where a support service will need to respond to a criterion with “not applicable”.

The template guide will provide guidance on how to respond to broad criteria such as “importance to university” using questions that point to integrated plans, strategic directions and other indicators of importance for example.

Our task force believes there are enough differences between internal and external demand to keep them as separate criteria and better inform the analysis. Most, if not all, support services are subject to both external and internal demand. External demand is sometimes expressed in terms of regulatory or legislative requirements, for example. Canada Revenue Agency, Occupational Health and Safety, provincial acts and municipal bylaws are examples of these.

Again, the Support Service Transformation Task Force greatly appreciates all comments and feedback received. Thank you very much.